The Niagara River Lions have announced the signing of 6’1 point guard, Kimbal Mackenzie. The 26 year-old from Oakville will join the team ahead of Wednesday night’s game versus the Brampton Honey Badgers. Mackenzie most recently played for the Leicester Riders of the British BBL where he averaged 12.7 points and 3.6 assists in 22.9 minutes per game. A familiar name to the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), Mackenzie played three seasons for the Guelph Nighthawks where he averaged 13.2 points and 3.2 assists from 2019-2021.
After his final summer with the Nighthawks, Mackenzie found a home with the Leicester Riders and has proven to be a fan favourite as he earned the Supporters Club Player of the Year this past season. Mackenzie was also named on the Molten BBL British Team of the Year alongside Riders teammate and now River Lions teammate, Patrick Whelan. Mackenzie recorded several team-leading performances during the 2022-23 season including a 31-point game where he went 11-15 from the field and 7-7 from the free throw line. Mackenzie will return to England after the 2023 CEBL campaign for his third year with the Riders. Prior to his professional career, Mackenzie spent four seasons at Bucknell University Mackenzie’s signing comes as Aiden Warnholtz temporarily leaves the River Lions to play with the U23 Men’s National Team in preparation for GLOBL JAM, a world-class international basketball showcase taking place in Toronto from July 12-16.
